Improvement in cigar and match cases



P. J. CLARK.

Cigar Case.

No. 27,693. 4 Patented April 3, 1860.

lnve 11 Z01 UNITED STATES P. J. CLARK, OF WEST MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO S. S. CLARK,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN CIGAR AND MATCH CASES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 27,693, dated April 3, 1860.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, I. J. CLARK, of West Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manner of Constructing Cigar or Match Cases or Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents in perspective the box or case as it appears when open. Fig. 2 represents in perspective the outer part of the box or case separate from its inner part. Fig. 3 represents in perspective the inner portion removed from the outer portion, and Fig. 4. represents a vertical section through the box or case.

Similar letters of reference where they ocour in the several figures denote like parts of the box or case in all of them.

I am aware that a box composed of abottom and sides has been made to slide into and through an outer shell or case, so as to thus form a cigar-ease or match-box. This I do not claim.

My invention consists in the peculiar manner in which I construct my box or case via, by making an outer shell with one or two or more guides or loops on its inner side, and then uniting two heads by ribs, which ribs move through the guides or loops so as to define the distance through which the heads can move to open the box, and at the same time raise up its contents so as to be easily taken hold of, and to prevent also the heads from moving too far or so far as to spill out the contents of the box, which, especially in match-boxes, is so common.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A represents the outer shell, made of metal or any other suitable material, on the inside of which there are guides or loops a. Two (more or less) ribs, 1) b, are then made of about the length of the outer shell, A, and one of the heads 0, having been first soldered or otherwise fastened to the ribs, they are slid through their respective guides or loops, and then the other head, 0, is soldered or otherwise fastened to the ribs, and the box is complete. Of course, if the box or case be large enough to admit a soldering'tool on its inside, then the heads may be both soldered or otherwise fastened to the ribs and slipped into the outer case and the guides fastened afterward; but this is mere mechanical skill or convenience.

Instead of the guides or loops, slots may be made through the outer shell, and a pin or pins passing through them into the ribs would accomplish the same end; but it would not make so neat an article. \Vhen these boxes are used for carrying matches, one or both of the heads may have a sanded, gritty, or rough surface to ignite the match against. It will be perceived that by drawing out the inner portion of the box, asseen in Fig. 4, it can come far enough to allow the match or cigar to be caught by the end and lifted out, but no farther, or so far as to allow it to spill out its contents. This is important, particularly in match-boxes, for you can draw out or open, as it were, this match-box with, what may be deemed the lid or open end downward, and still it will not spill out its contents, nor can one part of the box ever become separated from the other part. In boxes where the in ner part draws clear out of the outer shell or part the inner portion must have sides as well as a bottom. I use but two heads on the inner portion, and these connected by ribs only or thin strips. I thus make a very cheap, simple, yet highly useful box or case for the objects specified.

Having thus fully described the .manner of making my proposed cigar or match box or case, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Formingabox or case by means of an outer shell, furnished with guides, loops, or slides, and two heads, united by strips or ribs, the said strip or ribs passing through the guides, and the guides and heads limiting the extent to which the box may be opened and its contents raised up to be easily taken hold of,.as herein represented.

P. J. CLARK. 

